Legacy

We will not hide them from their descendants;
we will tell the next generation
the praiseworthy deeds of the Lord,
his power, and the wonders he has done.
Psalm 78:4

A good person leaves an inheritance for their children’s children,
but a sinner’s wealth is stored up for the righteous.
Proverbs 3:22

Earlier this week there was an overnight fall of snow. Not very much – just a centimetre or so. But enough to cover the path to the next village with a pristine layer of white crystals. I joined the path for my early morning walk, to find that some travellers had been there before me. Five footprint trails; three of them heading to the next village, but two of them returning. The shoe size, and stride length probably identified the returning pair as being female, with one of them possibly being taller than the other. And the position of the tracks probably meant they walked together. The other lone set of tracks, probably made by a large pair of Wellies, hadn’t returned. I couldn’t tell much more than that but it was an interesting time of Sherlocking. And a reminder that when we journey through our time here on earth we leave a legacy, an inheritance, a heritage, for our children and grandchildren, for the next generation. A trail of metaphorical footprints in the snows and sands of life.

I always thank my parents and grandparents for the legacies left for me. My upbringing; useful life experiences, and so much more. But what legacy will I leave for my children and their children? What legacy will I leave for the next generation? Will the footprints in my Christian pilgrimage disappear quickly like the shoe marks in the snow, or will they be visible for the next generations to see? I need to ensure that my legacy will not just be a few words on a tombstone or a park bench somewhere.

We need to share our life experiences, our God moments, our answered prayers, Jesus’ message of hope, and much more with those who will carry the Gospel to their generation. I like the quote, “Our children are messengers we send to a time we will not see”. Hmmmm….